Dam investigation process begins

A legislative committee will hold a meeting Wednesday to discuss the application process and criteria for selecting a special deputy attorney general who will do an independent civil investigation of the March 14 Ka Loko Dam breach on Kauai. Two homes were swept away in the flood, and seven people died. The committee will give a list of at least five attorneys to Attorney General Mark Bennett. The meeting starts at 1 p.m. in Room 414 of the state Capitol.

[ THE COURTS ]

Killer acquitted due to insanity

LIHUE » Raymond Earl Ard was acquitted by reason of insanity yesterday for the 2005 killing of his landlord and the attempted murder of Ard's stepson.

In February 2005, Ard, 41, killed retired Dr. Jon Kerns, his landlord, stabbing him numerous times. Ard also stabbed his 16-year-old mentally challenged stepson, who recovered. When Kerns' wife started screaming, Ard ran into the nearby cane fields, but was found by police later that day.

But Circuit Court Judge Kathleen Watanabe, in a jury-waived trial, found that Ard "lacked substantial capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of his conduct" due to a "physical or mental disease, disorder, or defect," according to court documents.

Ard told police that he believed Kerns was Satan in the flesh and could be killed, according to police reports.

Three psychiatric experts testified on Ard's behalf. All agreed that he was incapable of knowing right from wrong at the time of the killing.

Two experts said Ard suffers from schizo-affective disorder, while another said he had severe bipolar disorder and all three agreed he was impaired at the time of the incident.

He was committed to the Hawaii State Hospital on Oahu until the court decides he is no longer a danger to himself or others, said Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Craig De Costa.

Maui murderer gets life in prison

LIHUE » After being found guilty of second-degree murder in the 2005 stabbing of 18-year-old Weslyn Jerves, Richard Shannon Costa was sentenced to life in prison yesterday.

Costa, 37, who has been held since his arrest days after the incident, will be eligible for parole as determined by the Department of Public Safety.

Jerves, of Hanamaulu, was found on Glass Beach in Hanapepe, stabbed and run over by a vehicle.

Costa told police he argued with Jerves over a $20 debt before taking Jerves' knife away and stabbing her numerous times with it.

Prosecutors allege Costa was angry when Jerves rebuffed his advances and ran over her body on the way out of the parking lot.

What's inside your Star-Bulletin this weekend:

SATURDAY

KEEPING FAITHOminous omen exploited
The approach of June 6, 2006, is dreaded by some Christians and exploited as a marketing tool because of the Bible's reference to 666 as the identity of the Antichrist.

SUNDAY

TODAYUH art guru Klobe retiring
Tom Klobe, a source of energy and innovation for the University of Hawaii Art Gallery for three decades, retires as director next month.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Police investigate apparent suicide after crash

HILO » Big Island police are investigating a car accident last night in which a man driving a car appeared to have rammed a second car with his wife or girlfriend in it, then shot himself, the Fire Department said.

Police remained at the scene last night and were not available to comment.

Fire Department paramedics arriving at the scene in Mountain View south of Hilo shortly after 6 p.m. found the man lying in the roadway, they said. He had what appeared to be a bullet wound in his head, said Battalion Chief Robert Bailey.

Police told fire personnel that there was a possible intentional accident followed by a suicide, Bailey said.

The woman, found trapped in her car, was removed and taken to the Hilo Medical Center emergency room for treatment. Her condition was not released.

HONOLULU

Man allegedly assaults girl over 3-year span

Police arrested a 48-year-old Honolulu man who allegedly sexually assaulted a girl more than once from when she was 7 to 10 years old.

The girl is now 15. Police said the assaults happened between Feb. 10, 1998, and June 7, 2001.

The man was arrested for investigation of one count of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of third-degree sexual assault.

Suspect is arrested in armed robbery

Police arrested a 53-year-old man who allegedly assaulted and robbed another man over the weekend.

Police said the victim, 35, was assaulted by two men who robbed him of cash at about 1 p.m. Saturday along Keeaumoku Street. Police said one of the suspects was armed with a metal pipe.

Police arrested one of the suspects, a 31-year-old Ewa Beach man, that day. He was later released pending investigation.

On Wednesday the victim positively identified the suspect who was armed with the pipe. Police arrested him for investigation of first-degree robbery.

A third man, 18, was arrested Saturday in the case on suspicion of hindering prosecution.

WEST OAHU

CRIMESTOPPERS
Police are looking for a man who robbed the Pearl City branch of American Savings Bank on May 18. The suspect wore a blond wig during the robbery.

Wig-wearing suspect sought in bank robbery

Police are asking for the public's help in finding a man who robbed a Pearl City bank May 18 with a stun gun, wearing a blond wig and fake beard.

Police said the suspect entered the American Savings Bank at 850 Kamehameha Highway and demanded money. When the teller backed away from the counter, the man jumped on the counter and tried to grab the cash drawer, police said.

The man wore a blond wig during the robbery, police said, but he is described as having crew-cut brown or black hair, a fair complexion, standing 5 feet 6 inches or 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 160 pounds. He wore a white print shirt and black pants and was armed with a stun gun.

Anyone with information on this person is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cell phone.

Suspect tries to grab police officer's gun

Police arrested a 24-year-old man who allegedly tried to grab a police officer's gun as he was being arrested for investigation of other charges.

Police said the man was pulled over in Campbell Industrial Park at about 1:55 a.m. last Friday. Police said he provided false information and was arrested for suspicion of driving with a revoked license.

As an officer was putting handcuffs on the man he resisted, tried to take the officer's gun, and then ran away, police said.

Police caught him yesterday and arrested him for investigation of first-degree theft, resisting arrest, driving with a revoked license, a drug charge and escape. Police said officers found marijuana in the man's car.

2 women arrested in forged check case

Police arrested two women who allegedly tried to cash a forged check using a stolen driver's license at a Honolulu credit union.

Police said the women, ages, 38 and 26, walked into the credit union at about 11:40 a.m. yesterday.

Police said the older woman tried to cash the check using the driver license provided by the younger woman.

Police arrested both women for investigation of second-degree forgery and third-degree identity theft.

Police arrest man for assault, robbery

Police arrested a 53-year-old man who allegedly assaulted an robbed another man over the weekend.

Police said the victim, 35, was assaulted by two men who robbed him of cash at about 1 p.m. on Saturday along Keeaumoku Street. Police said one of the men was armed with a metal pipe.

Police arrested one of the suspects, a 31-year-old Ewa Beach man, that day. He was later released pending investigation.

Yesterday, the victim positively identified the suspect who was armed with the pipe. Police arrested him for investigation of first-degree robbery.

A third man, 18, of Vineyard Boulevard, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of hindering prosecution.

Man suspected of taking aloha shirts from shop

Police arrested a 62-year-old man who allegedly tried to steal more than a dozen aloha shirts from a Waikiki store.

Police said that at about 5:30 p.m. yesterday a store security officer saw the man put 14 aloha shirts into a plastic bag and then leave the store without paying for them.

The man was detained and later arrested for investigation of second-degree theft.